WATCH: New video series schools passengers on Prague transport etiquette

Prague Integrated Transport (PID), the transport agency that oversees metro, bus, and tram travel in the capital, has produced a series of humorous videos reminding passengers to pay attention to travel etiquette. 

Featuring well-known Czech voice actor Jan Vondráček, the videos – entitled “Tramantics” or “Busantics” – are intended to enforce basic transport manners, such as refraining from taking loud phone calls, giving up seats when appropriate, not eating during journeys, and other common-sense courtesies.

Blog The Prague Review has translated these into English and added subtitles, ensuring that PID’s efforts to ensure the best possible journey is accessible for all. Its key slogan throughout is: “Take at least one small step for better public transport travel.”

Don’t speak loudly on the phone! In this video Vondráček says: “More and more people feel that they are enlightened influencers…who want to share their opinion with everyone.” The video tells viewers: “Don’t call at all, unless it’s really necessary.”

“When to offer someone a seat can sometimes be a complicated question,” notes Vondráček, who explains the etiquette of giving up one’s seat in this video. “Personally, when I’m not sure, I get up…and pretend to study the route map,” he explains. He then says that it is usually obvious when to give up a seat for someone else. The end of the video reminds viewers to give up seats “for seniors, pregnant women, and ZTP [disability] card holders.”

This video reminds passengers not to eat or drink during journeys. Vondráček jokingly tells listeners that “21st-century passengers are afraid that they will die of hunger during their journeys.” He light-heartedly reminds people that it is indeed possible to travel from one end of the PID network to the other without eating or drinking.

Vondráček in this video reminds mothers to make themselves fully visible to tram or bus drivers to ensure the doors do not close before they try to board the tram. “Unfortunately, tram and bus drivers don’t have the superpower to see through a crowd of people,” he notes.

“Lots of dogs are traveling on public transport, and all dogs are cute….until they bite you,” says the narrator. This video reminds passengers always to muzzle their dog.

This video tells people off for unnecessarily occupying two seats instead of one. “Research shows that many people mask their low self-esteem with poor behavior,” Vondráček jokingly says, as he reminds people to not use an empty sheet for their bags, shopping, or feet.

This video warns of avoiding unneeded chaos when entering or exiting a metro, tram, or bus. Disembarking passengers “perceive people waiting outside at the stop as their opponents,” Vondráček says. He stresses the importance of leaving the metro, bus, or tram in an orderly fashion, and for embarking passengers to wait until all passengers have stepped out before entering.

The message of this video is simple: do not smoke on public transport. Vondráček jokes that people try to be altruistic by “sharing” their cigarette smoke – but strictly tells people to be selfish instead.

Warning against the sudden acceleration of trams and buses, Vondráček reminds people to hold on tightly during all parts of a journey. Making a joke about inertia and physics, the video concludes by saying: “If you want to make an impact on fellow passengers, then do so only with your positive energy and hold on tight!”